Coreopsis plant named ‘Cranberry Ice’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Coreopsis  plant named ‘Cranberry Ice’ characterized by prolific, large, bicolor red purple and creamy white daisy-type flowers, grass green foliage, very free branching and flowering, long bloom time, and a compact mounding habit.

Botanical denomination: Coreopsis spp.

Variety designation: ‘Cranberry Ice’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct hybrid of Coreopsisand given the cultivar name ‘Cranberry Ice’. Coreopsis is in the familyAsteraceae. This new cultivar originated from a tissue culture mutationfrom Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.11/901,047).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of the new variety. These characteristicsin combination distinguish Coreopsis ‘Cranberry Ice’ as a new anddistinct cultivar:

-   -   1. large, daisy-type flowers that grow to 4.3 cm in diameter;    -   2. unique, red purple and creamy white, bi-colored ray florets;    -   3. grass green foliage;    -   4. very free branching;    -   5. very free flowering;    -   6. long bloom time;    -   7. a compact mounding habit.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(cuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttingsand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The photograph shows a nine-month-old Coreopsis ‘Cranberry Ice’ growingin the ground in the trial field in August 2007, in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Coreopsis cultivarbased on observations of a nine-month-old specimen growing in the groundin full sun under typical outdoor conditions in the trial fields inAugust 2007, in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map.Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to a low of 32degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year.The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 7 to 9.        -   Size.—45 cm wide and 30 cm tall to top of inflorescences.        -   Form.—Mound.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, Grey Brown 199D, stems root easily from stem            cuttings.-   Stem:    -   -   Type.—Ascending.        -   Size.—28 cm tall and 3 mm wide.        -   Internode length.—5 to 50 mm.        -   Surface.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Green 137A.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Shape.—Linear.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Length.—Grows to 7 cm.        -   Width.—3 mm.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate, clasping.        -   Surface texture.—Glabrous on both sides.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Top side Yellow Green 147A, bottom side Yellow Green            147B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Long stalked terminal heads of daisy type            inflorescences.        -   Peduncle.—3.5 to 10 cm long, 1 mm wide, glabrous, Yellow            Green 147B.        -   Size.—Grows to 4.3 cm wide and 14 mm deep.        -   Immature.—10 mm long and 5 mm wide, ovoid, glabrous, Greyed            Yellow 161C on top half with Greyed Purple 187A on bottom            half.        -   Receptacle.—Bowl shaped, 5 mm wide and 5 mm deep, Green            137A.        -   Phyllary.—In two series, stellate; inner series 7 to 8            lobes, grows to 16 mm wide and 7 mm deep, lobes reflex,            ovate, entire, acute, glabrous, 7 mm long and 5 mm wide, on            both sides top half Yellow Orange 22A tipped with Greyed            Purple 187A, bottom half Yellow Green 147A; outer series            with 5 to 7 lobes, grows to 9 mm wide and 3 mm deep,            glabrous, lobes lanceolate, entire, acute, 3.5 mm long and            1.5 mm wide, Green 137A on both sides.        -   Bloom period.—June through September in Canby, Oreg.        -   Fragrance.—Light, Chrysanthemum-like.        -   Lastingness.—Each inflorescence lasts about 7 to 10 days.-   Florets:    -   -   Type.—Composite.        -   Ray florets.—8 with no stamen or pistil (occasionally 9),            obovate (occasionally quilled or with a small basal            appendage) with the tip usually three lobed with lobes            obtuse and the central lobe the longest and sometimes            notched, entire, grows to 22 mm long, 10 mm wide, glabrous            on both surfaces, claw 1.5 mm long; color topside Greyed            Purple 187A at the base lightening to Red Purple 59A with            tip blotched Yellow 11D; bottom side top half Greyed Brown            199D blotched Yellow 11D and bottom half Greyed Purple 187A            streaked with Greyed Brown 199D.        -   Disc.—Conic, deeper with maturity, 5 mm wide and becoming 4            mm deep with maturity, Greyed Purple 187B when in bud,            opening to Greyed Orange 163A with a background of Black            202A.        -   Disc florets.—About 65 in number, 9 mm long and 1 mm wide,            corolla 4 mm long, tubular, 4 lobed, lobes entire, acute,            Greyed Purple 187C, tube Yellow 11C; pistil 1, 7 cm long,            ovary 1.5 mm long, Green Yellow 1D, style 6 mm long,            extruding, with 2-branched stigma, stigma Yellow Orange 23A            and style Green Yellow 1D; stamen 5, 2 mm long, filaments            1.5 mm long, Black 202A, anthers 0.5 mm long, Black 202A,            pollen none.-   Seed: None produced.    -   -   Fertility.—Infertile.-   Disease and pests: Coreopsis are susceptible to mildew and fungal    spots. No resistance is known for this variety.

COMPARISONS TO SIMILAR COREOPSIS

Compared to Coreopsis ‘Gold Nugget’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser.No. 11/901,047, the mother plant, the new variety has ray florets ofbicolor red purple with creamy white tips rather than bright yellow witha red center.

Compared to Coreopsis ‘Tahitian Sun’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser.No. 11/901,038, the new variety has ray florets of bicolor red purplewith creamy white tips rather than bicolor rust red and gold.

1. A new and distinct Coreopsis plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.